By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Rapid rail network Gautrain today celebrates fifteen years of operations, having, thus far succesfully completed 200 million passenger trips.
The first Gautrain ride leaving Sandton Station for O.R. Tambo International Airport Station.
Since its launch in 2010, the Gautrain project employs approximately 1200 staff across operations and administration of the project.
As we mark 15 years of operations, we are mindful that accessibility and inclusivity is an imperative. To this end, we recently launched the KlevaMova Product which offers low-income earners a 50% discount on Gautrain train fares, “said Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Tshepo Kgobe.
“In the next 15 years, we want to connect more people, more communities, and more cities in Gauteng, and stimulate economic growth, development, and job creation, said Kgobe.
Kgobe explained that KlevaMova will make the Gautrain more affordable for low-income and disadvantaged communities located on the periphery of cities and spending a significant portion of their income on commuting. The product caters for households with a combined household annual income of R350 000 or less, pensioners, and recipients of the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) disability grant.
“A month after the launch of KlevaMova, we are pleased that approximately 2000 eligible passengers have registered for the product and over 1000 applications were approved following a verification process,” said Kgobe.
Scholars and students under the age of 25 also qualify for the 50% discount on Gautrain train fares.
“As we mark Youth Month, we understand that safe and reliable transport enables learners to reach school safely and on time, minimising disruptions to their education. We are therefore positioning the Gautrain as the mobility of choice supporting young people’s transition into adulthood, enabling them to access education and opportunities,” Kgobe indicated.
In many cities, transportation acts as a key driver for economic and social development, facilitating trade, improving accessibility, and creating opportunities for growth. Gauteng, the economic powerhouse of South Africa, experiences significant road traffic congestion and continues to draw people from all over the world and all over the country. “An efficient public transport system such as the Gautrain is central to the swift movement of people from one end of the province to the other, “said Kgobe.
“The role of the Gautrain as a catalyst for economic development cannot be minimised,” Kgobe said.
Over the last 15 years, the positive multiplier effects of the Gautrain includes stimulating commercial and residential property development around the stations. “We have seen a significant proportion of commercial and residential properties mushrooming around Gautrain stations,” Kgobe indicated.
Kgobe added that the Gautrain’s 15 years of impact serves as a compelling argument for the proposed rapid rail extensions to areas such as Soweto, Fourways, Lanseria, and Mamelodi which is at the heart of government’s efforts to reverse the spatial inequalities left by apartheid, while ensuring inclusive connectivity. These proposed extensions are a key component of the 25-Year Integrated Transport Master Plan, which envisions a passenger rail network as the backbone of the province’s modernised and integrated transport system.
Gauteng is the economic powerhouse of South Africa and when Gauteng grows, South Africa grows. The province, the smallest of the nine provinces, has an ever-increasing population whose mobility needs must be met, despite the congestion on our roads. This traffic congestion hinders not only mobility but affects our ability to grow our province. “We need to act now to move people from road to rail, particularly in congested areas like the Johannesburg-Pretoria corridor,” said Kgobe.
“The story of the Gautrain is interwoven into the growth of Gauteng, as the province grows, we strive to transport more people from all backgrounds and walks of life and in every corner of the province to places of work, leisure, business, or school. Fifteen years on, we pause to reflect on the journey we have travelled and the strides we have made, but also cast our eyes to a future where we can comprehensively address the transport needs of a diverse range of passengers and advance equity in transportation,” Kgobe comments.